Diversity at HBS

[ToadMum]

it is not about being cleverer. It is about being trained better.

Omg how sad it that? Are these children or dogs?

Beat me to it...

[nyr]

it is not about being cleverer. It is about being trained better.

Omg how sad it that? Are these children or dogs? Trained better?!!!!

I'm sure this wasn't deliberately derogatory.

Incidentally, gymnasts, hairdressers, ballet dancers, swimmers, rugby players, dentists, etc are all trained and I've yet to see a dog in any of these roles.

I am proud to say all my children got into selective schools with no tuition and no coaching. They are having normal, happy childhoods. They will of course always have support and help from me, but their successes will be their own.

Eh? So, the girls and boys, like my daughter and son, who gain admission to the more selective schools, such as HBS and QE, don't have normal happy childhoods? They don't have supportive parents? News to me.

[nyr]

OP, my children have a fairly uncommon cultural and racial heritage and it would be fairly difficult for them to find children of the same heritage in any London school. Their attitude has and will always be to look beyond race and cultural background and build friendships on the basis of many other shared characteristics. This approach serves them well at HBS and QE, where the pupil population has similar racial diversity.

I'm sure pupil diversity won't have any impact on your DD settling into a normal, happy school life.

[Deb70]

I would hope a dentist is trained, yes. Although presumably that training was preceded by being age eighteen and having quite good 'A' level results, stemming from an aptitude for science. Somewhat different than making a seven year old child spend their weekends practicing verbal reasoning for three years.

[resrtr]

Well, my daughter and son have made it to very good grammar schools,they are quite clever but they did work in year 5 - but not overwhelmingly so.

What helped them really was lots of reading and a strong grasp of basic concepts. Having parents who are capable of clearing their doubts definitely helped.

If my daughter was in the 3 mile catchment, I would take up the opportunity to help them for the first round - but that is me. I like HBS from what I have heard ( not their admin!).

It's a competitive world and sadly, it's not just talent but a mix of talent and hardwork that gets you in. And my children are happy and are enjoying a normal childhood - the work that they have done in year 5 has not jeopardised their lives.( I know parents who will make their children of average academic ability to slog and slog and slog and some how get through the test . This is not about them and I personally think that they treat their kids as an extension of their ego)

[Choco]

Going back to the HBS entry criteria from next year, I agree that having the first stage based purely on score will limit the number of local girls.

Quite simply, if 3000 apply from a wide geographical area, the chances of many of the top 300 living within 3 miles or the very local area is small. Some will, but simply in statistical terms the vast majority won't. Bear in mind that those who apply from a distance and who are determined push their children very hard - it is an active choice to opt into the process, in a way it isn't always for local children, who might simply apply for their local school, without actively opting into a significant preparation routine.

So who knows how many of that top 300 will be within 3 miles. Perhaps 10% and perhaps more or less. If 10% then 30 girls will qualify for places based on living within 3 miles and the other 270 places will be allocated as before - purely based on score.

Surely this is deliberate on the part of HBS - to give a suggestion that they are becoming more local, when in actual fact the admissions policy is designed to still admit by score in the vast majority of cases. Or have I misunderstood something about how it will all work?

[resrtr]

Hmm.. I too feel that HBS is just trying to give the impression that they are going to be a more ' local schools'. Probably they should learn a thing or two from the Essex grammars.

Going back to the HBS entry criteria from next year, I agree that having the first stage based purely on score will limit the number of local girls.

Quite simply, if 3000 apply from a wide geographical area, the chances of many of the top 300 living within 3 miles or the very local area is small. Some will, but simply in statistical terms the vast majority won't. Bear in mind that those who apply from a distance and who are determined push their children very hard - it is an active choice to opt into the process, in a way it isn't always for local children, who might simply apply for their local school, without actively opting into a significant preparation routine.

So who knows how many of that top 300 will be within 3 miles. Perhaps 10% and perhaps more or less. If 10% then 30 girls will qualify for places based on living within 3 miles and the other 270 places will be allocated as before - purely based on score.

Surely this is deliberate on the part of HBS - to give a suggestion that they are becoming more local, when in actual fact the admissions policy is designed to still admit by score in the vast majority of cases. Or have I misunderstood something about how it will all work?

[Daogroupie]

Deb70,

You were the tutor or coach of your dc.

You prepared them at home which is exactly the same as somebody else preparing them. You probably used the same papers as a tutor would.

Unless your dc went into the exams never having actually seen a GL or CEM format paper they were coached. DG

[resrtr]

Second that, tutoring is tutoring, whether it's from.parents or a paid tutor - some parents just may not have the know-how so pay for a tutor.

[AML]

I am proud to say all my children got into selective schools with no tuition and no coaching.

That would be implying they never touched a single material from a GL pack paper to a bond book. Really??